Ethiopian Airlines has announced that the Nigerian government is no longer interested in establishing the proposed Nigeria Air joint venture.  

This confirmation came from the Group’s Chief Executive Officer, Mesfin Tasew, in Dubai over the weekend.  

The announcement was reported by Ethiopian Tribune, a major Ethiopian media outlet. 

“The Nigerian government has lost interest in partnering with a foreign airline,” Tasew said.  

This announcement by Ethiopian Airlines comes barely two months after the Federal Government indefinitely suspended the Nigeria Air project. 

In May 2024, during the ministerial briefing marking the first year of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, announced the indefinite suspension of the Nigeria Air project. 

Keyamo had previously criticized the deal with Ethiopian Airlines as unfair to Nigerian airlines, stating it would be irresponsible for the Federal Government to allow a foreign entity to monopolize Nigeria’s aviation industry, thereby compromising the growth of local businesses.